Jul
21
Is Using Movie Clips in Sermon Messages Bad?
ByChurch Marketing Sucks has an interesting article called Keeping Preaching Pure and it discusses John Piper’s stance on the use of movie clips or non-speaking materials in sermon messages. I have to say that Piper’s point is very interesting. Click on over to the post for the dialogue and throw in your two cents.

James,
I kind of thought it was laughable to read Piper’s comments. I have a lot of respect for him, his ministry, his books, and his character. But I’ve never been able to sit through one of his sermons. I get so bored that I tune him out, fall asleep, or shut it off. His preaching looses a lot of power when I do any of those things.
Steve,
I agree. I know he is AMAZING in his ministry but the times I have tried to listen to his podcasts, I tune out five minutes into it. I think the more intellectual a person is the more I have A.D.D. listening to them.
I don’t think his preaching loses power but rather we may just require a different way of being engaged in the conversation.
Horses for courses. I’m a visual learner and I ^need^ something to break the monotony of a 30-minute monologue. I try to vary my sermons with short clips and physical illustrations that will stick in people’s minds. I don’t see this as trying to ‘trick’ anyone into remembering something, but note that Jesus was very descriptive in his telling of parables and stories.